Excavating-shovel.



G. A. MORRIS.

EXUAVATING SHOVEL.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 8, 1911.

1,080,292. Patented Dec.2,1 913.

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EXGAVATING SHOVEL.

APPLIGATIQN FILED APR. 8, 1911.

1,080,292, Patented'Dec. 2, 1913.

2 BHEETSSHEET 2.

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UNITED STATES. PATENT ornrcn.

CHARLES A. MoRaIs, or monrcmm, NEW JERSEY, AssreNon. TO THE HAYWARDCOMPANY,-A- CORPORATION on NEW YORK.

EXCAVATING-SHDVEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 2, 1913.

Application mac-Aprils, 1911. Serial No. 619,646.

citizen of the United States, residing in--- Montclair, county of Essex,and State of 5- New Jersey, have invented a certain new and usefulExcavating=Sh0vel-, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an improvement in means for manipulating orhandling'shovels, buckets, skips and various other devices;

The invention relates, more particularly, to ameans forsuspending,loading and unloading devices of the'character' specified.-

Heretofore in the art of excavating ithas 13. been: the practice topivot thebail to fixed points on the shovel or other load carrier, onwhich fixed points the shovel was tiltable for the purposes of loadin"and unloading: Moreover, in some kin s of shovels now in use,- it is acommon practice tosecure such bail to-the sides, and externally of,-

the shovel. A certain disadvantage results from attaching thebail in themannerspecified, to wit, the attaching of the bail .ex-

251 teriorly of the shovel, exposes said bail to contact with variousobstacles, whereby the bails are frequently broken off, and, moreover,the binding of said bail against such obstacles greatly increases thepower required' in loading the shovel.

The present invention overcomes the forei going and other disadvantages,for the reason that the suspending bail is connected with the shovelintermediate-the side walls 36 thereof, thus leaving the side wallsentirely free from attachments and precluding rocks, etc, from catchingagainst the shovel. In a shovel of this type,and= to secure efficiencyin the dumping operation, the suspending bail is connectedzslidably tothe shovel, at the rear thereof, for the purpose of permitting theshovel to-assume, practically,a erpendicular *position ,.the result ofwhic is to effectively discharge; all the load.

The suspending and controlling devices of my shovel are so arranged thatit is not necessary, prior to elevatin the shovel, to haul the loadedshovel so ar inwardly toward the apparatus, it being'the' common:

practice in ordinary excavatmg operations to'haul the loaded shovel fromone quarter.

to a half the distance inwardly toward the apparatus, the result ofwhich is to preclude a direct hoist of the loaded shovel with refy newdevices are characterized by such an arrangement of parts that theloaded shovel may be hoisted, at practically any point, and particularlyat a point almost directly below the fall rope sheave, it beingnecessaryto so only retain the fall rope slightly inclined between the shovel andthe fall rope sheave I by maintaining tension on the haul rope, the

result of which is to facilitate and expedite the work of hoisting theload.

Another feature ofthe present invention consists in means by which thebridle, to which the haul rope is attached, may be adjusted soastoregulate the angle at which the shovel enters the ground or the depth ofcut.

A further feature of the invention con sist's in providing the shovelwith means whereby the angle of draft may be readily varied, that is tosay, the shovel may be hauled from points laterally of'its normalposition with reference to the haul rope.

Other features of the invention, and the advantages' thereof, willappear from the" annexed detailed description.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated difierent practicalembodimentsof the i vention, but theconstructions shown thereinareto-be' understood as illustrative, only, and not as defining the limitsof theinvention;

Figure 1- is a side elevation of an excavating' shovel embodying theinvention, said shovel beingshownin the position which it'- assumes whenloaded and suspended. Fig. 2 is'aside elevation of the shovel in adumping position. Fig. 3' is a plan view of the shovel, the dotted linesillustrating an ad justment' of the parts when the shovel 'is drawnforward by the draft mechanismpositioned at one side of a central linethrough the shovel, whereby said shovel is adapted for scraping orcutting into the'soil on a line at an angle to the line of draft throughthedraft cable- Fig. 4 is a side elevation of another embodiment of theinvention.- Fig. 5 is aplan view of another form of draft rigging bywhich a side draft may be exerted upon either side of the shovel.

In order that othersskilled in the art may understand the invention, Ihave elected toshow the load carrier in the form ofan eX-- cavatingshovel A, the body of which is similar in construction'to some of theprior 110 at its attached firmly to the top plate a of the 7 toward therear of center of gravity provided at its front with diggin teeth ortoes a. Side walls a of the shove are provided with reinforcement plates6 forward edges, said plates 6 being provided with draft In S a whichmay be integral with the plates, alt ough the draft lugs are shown asbeing attached firmly to the plates. The draft lugs extend forwardlyfrom the open front end of the shovel.

B indicates a fall rope, and C a haul rope. As shown, the fallrope-isprovided with a ring or eye at to which is connected a suspending memberD, said member being either a cable or a chain, as may be preferred.

Instead of employing a bail or a bridle for suspending the shovel fromfall rope B, and

attaching said bail or bridle to the respective side wal s of theshovel, externally thereof, I employ a single suspending member which isconnected slidably to the shovel at the rear part thereof. The slidableor running connection between the shovel and the suspending member issecured by the employment of a track bar E and a ring or eye e attachedto the suspending member D, said ring or eye being free to move upon thetrack bar. The track bar is composed of a rigid. piece of metal bent atits respective ends to produce short arms 6. Said track bar ispositioned above the rear part of the shovel, substantially midwaybetween the side walls thereof, said track bar being inclined downwardlythe shovel. It is preferred to provide a top plate a shovel, said topplate having a recess a as shown more clearly in Fig. 3. The track bar Eis positioned over this top plate a the front arm e of said track barbein attached rigidly to the to plate of the s ovel and the rear arm 6'eing securely fastened to the back wall which closes the rear of theshovel. When the shovel is loaded and lifted to a position clear of theground, the

ring e of the suspending member engages with the forward part of thetrack bar, as shown in Fig. 1. The suspending member is connected withthe shovel rearwardly of the of said shovel, but the attachment of thesuspending member to the shovel is shiftable, by reason of the ring esliding upon the track bar, so that when tension on the haul cable isrelaxed the ring .e will slide rearwardly upon the track bar in orderthat the shovel may drop or tilt to an inclined position, shown in Fig.2, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

F, F, designate track bars positioned at or close to the respective sidewalls of the shovel, said track bars being above the body of the shovel,and preferably, within the side walls thereof. Each track bar is shownas composed of a single piece of metal bent rearend to form an arm fwhich is at their upon the' 'shiftable relative to the shovel.

shovel. The forward end portion of each 1 the line of-the forward partof track bar E,

although essential.

G, G designate sliding members fitted to track bars F, F for slidingmovement thereon. Said sliding members are represented as rings or eyesloosely embracing the tracks F, F, and to 'these sliding rings ormembers are loosely connected other rings or eyes 9.

H designates a dumping bridle or bail, the same being composed of cablesor chains, the lower forward ends of the cables or chains being looselyattached to rings 9-, whereby the dumping bail or bridle is operativelyconnected with 'thevslidable members G, G on the forward tracks F,,F.portions of the links or chains composing the dumping bridle areconnected to a shackle h which is adapted to be adjustably connected toany one link of a short chain it, which is attached to the ring or eye eof the fall rope. The suspending member D and the dumping bail or bridlecooperate in suspending the shovel when it shall have been loaded andlifted, said shovel being suspended at three points, all of which areOne point of suspension consists of member D and track E, and the tworemaining points of suspension are the members of-the bridle H andtracks F, F. The haul cable is provided with a shackle I having a bolt2', and to said bolt of the shackle there is secured a draft plate J.Said plate. is shown in Fig. 3 as being substantially triangular inform, particular shape of the plate is not essential. The plate isprovided near two of its corners with slots j, j, and near its othercorner with anaperture 7' whereby the plate is adapted to be shiftedwith relation to the haul rope. K, K designate other shackles eachconnected by a bolt is to the draft plate J. The bolt is of shackle Kpasses through the aperture j of the plate, and, similarly, the bolt isof shackle K passes through the aperture j of said draft plate, the twoshackles being separately and pivotally attached to the draft plate.When the pull of the haul cable is to beexerted centrally on the shovel,the bolt z" of shackle I passes through aperture 7' of the draft plate,as shown in full lines in' Fig. 3, but should it be desired to exert aside draft on the shovel, the shackle I of the haul cable should befitted in one of the the particular arrangement is not 'apertures'j or7" of the draft plate. The

dotted lines in Fig. 3 illustrate the bolt 2' of and they although theThe upper end draft rope shackle-I occupying thesame slot j of the draftplate as the bolt of shackle K, whereby the draftrigging is shifted overto the right 'of the shovel, but it-is evident that the'bolt of shackle'I may befitted in the aperture 7" of'the draft plate sothat thepull'uponthele sideof the shovel.

Between'the haul cable'C and the "forward part of thesh'ovel are twodraft bridles, one" of said draft bridl'esbeing' connected with arms of'the shovel and the otherdr aft bridle being slidably connected with thefor-' ward part of the shdvelby the sliding members G, 'G. ropes orchains L, L, provided'at their rear ends/With shackles Z attached bybolts? looselyto' the-draft arms a of the shovel, the forward ends'of'saidjchainsor cable's L, L beingconnected separately to the/shacklesK; K. The'other draft bridle consists of cables or chains-M, M, the-sameconverging toward the draft plate. The chains 'or cables'M, M "ofthedraftbridle are'conne'cted loosely to the rings by which the suspending bridle H is connected to slidable members G, G,- whereby thedraft bridle M, M coiiperates with the suspending. bridle in, retaininga loaded and suspended shovel in a no'ndumping positionwhen tension ismaintainedon the haul rope D. The legs'of draft bridle M, M areconn'ected't'o the perforated plates at of draft bridle L, L. It will beunderstood that each leg of the draft bridle-L, L is provided'with ashackle m adjustabl'y connected to one perforated plate n, and'that themembers of the bridle L, L are adjustable relative to the bridle M, Mand the shovel,-for the purpose of securing such a relative adjustmentbetween the two draft bridles as will result in varying the inclinationof the shovel, as is desirable.

The operation is as follows :With the draft rigging adjusted in theposition shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and in full lines in Fig. 3,

the shovel is adapted to be dropped upon the ground by slackening uponthe fall rope and the haul rope, the suspending member, the draftbridles and the dumping bridles being loose or slackened. To load theshovel, tension is placed upon the haul rope, the pull of which drawsthe bridle M, M, slidable members G, G and the suspending bridle towardthe front of the shovel, and at the same time draws the draft bridle L,L taut. The main draft of the haul cable is transmitted to the shovelthrough the draft bridle L, L, but some of the draft comes, also, uponthe bridle M, M. The forward movement of the shovel under the pull ofthe haul rope moves said shovel over the ground in a manner to load thematerial into the shovel, the fall rope being slackened to permit thefree forward movement of the One draft bridle consists of shovel underthe pull of the haul rope. To elevate the shovel subsequent to theloading Fig. 1, by reference to which it will be seen that member D andbridle H act to suspend the'shovel from the fall rope B. The shovel issuspended'at three points, and so long as tension is kept upon the haulrope C, the bridle M, M and bridle H are precluded from sliding upontracks, F, F, thus retaining the shovel in the nondumping position whilesuspended'from the fall rope.

A loaded shovel may beswung' from a boom or transported by the movementof a carrier so asto position the loaded shovel over a car, bank' or anyother place Where the excised material is to-v deposited. To dump theloaded shovel, it is necessary to slacken the fall rope, thus relievingthe tension on the bridle M, M. When the haul rope is slackened, membersG, G slide upon tracks F, F toward the rear, thus drawing bridle M, M"toward bridle H and the suspending member, whereupon the shovel tilts toan inclined position,'said shovel moving in a downward and forwarddirection with relation to thesuspending member D, the

ring 6 ofsaidsuspending member D sliding upon track E during thedownward and forward movement of the shovel to the dumping position.\Vhen the suspended shovel is tilted to the dumping position, it isnecessary to drop the shovel into contact with the ground, or with anyother place where the material is to be excavated or the shovel tobeloaded, and to draw upon the haul rope so that the bridle M, M, themembers G, G and the bridle H will be moved to the position of Fig. 1before the loaded shovel can be again raised.

My construction provides a means by which the shovel may be adjusted toa position to dig into the ground, or the shovel may be adjusted toscrape along the ground in order to act upon the floor of theexcavation, that is, to level off the surface of the excavation' Whenthe shovel is to be adjusted for digging purposes, the angle ofinclination of the shovel to the surface of the ground should beincreased as compared with the position to be assumed by a shovelwhenscraping the surface. The shovel is adapted to be tilted to an inclineddigging M. i shackles position by adjusting the membersof bridle L, Lwith relation to the perforated plates 11 so as to result in a change ofthe relation of the two draft bridles, whereby the operative length ofthe bridle L, L can be increased or diminished with reference to thefront end of the shovel and to the draft bridle It is obvious that byadjusting the I m in the plates a toward the draft plate J, the bridleL, L will be shortened, but by moving the shackles m toward the otherends of plates n, the bridle L, L will be lengthened,the effect of whichis to causebridle M, M to pull upon the shovel and move it to aninclined osition for the toes a to dig into the soil. en the shackles mare moved toward plate J the bridle M, M will be lengthened, and thusthe shovel will assume a slightly inclined position, in order to scrapethe ground when hauled forward by the rope C.

It frequently happens that the shovel must be drawn in a forwarddirection and at an angle to the line of pull of the haul cable, for thepurpose of excavating along the sides of the cut. The employment ofdraft plate J provides means for changing the relation of the draftrigging to the shovel so that a side draft may be exerted upon theshovel by the haul cable, whereby the shovel is adapted to travel in apath at an angle to the line of pull of the haul cable. Assuming theshovel is to travel in a path to the left of the line of pull, shackle Iis disconnected from the aperture i of the plate J and bolt 2' of saidshackle I is placed in the aperture j of the late, as shown in dottedlines in Fig. 3. T is adjustment of shackle I relative to plate J hasthe effect of lengthening the legs L, M and of shortening the legs L, Mof the two draft bridles, whereby the line of pull of cable C will beexerted more directly upon the legs L, M than upon the legs L, M of thedraft bridles, the effect of which is to shift the relationof the draftrigging between the shovel and the haul cable, the parts assuming thedotted line position of Fig. 3. The pull of the haul cable draws theshovel forward in a straight line with relation to the cut and in a pathat an angle to the direction of the haul cable. This change in therelation of the draft rigging to the shovel is effected independently ofthe angular adjustment of the shovel by shortening or lengthening thedraft bridle M, M relative to the draft bridle L, L and the forward partof the shovel. Furthermore, the change in the relation of the draftrigging to exert a pull on either side of the shovel, or to incline theshovel more or less to the surface of the ground, does not in any wayaffect or impair the efliciency of the means for suspending the shovelor for controlling the dumping of the shovel.

- In Fig. 4 of the drawings there isv shown anotherembodiment of theinvention wherein the tracks E, F, F arecombined instead of employing arear track E separate from two independent side tracks F, F. The shovelis provided at its upper part with tracks 0, the end portions of whichare secured to the forward and rearparts of the shovel. Each track' 0isa single continuous bar secured firmly to the shovel above the same,and within a sidewall thereof. Each bar 0 is supported intermediate itsends by a plate 0 fixed firmly to the shovel, said plate 0 serving thepurpose of a stop for,lim1ting the sliding movement of rings which areadapted to slide upon the track bar. The

fall rope B is provided with a ring d to h is connected to ring 03 so asto receive the shackle k of the controlling bridle H, the legs of saidcontrolling bridle being connected to a ring 9, each of which rings isconnected to a sliding member G orG, said member G or G being adapted toslide upon the bar 0 forwardly of stop 0. The haul rope O is associated,with the draft bridles M, M, L,

L as hereinbefore described. The operation of this form of shovel andits suspending, hauling and controlling means is similar to thestructure disclosed in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, and need not be hererepeated. The cable P is employed between the ring 6 and the slidablemember G or G at each side of the shovel, shown in Fig. 4, so that theflexible connections'P will retain the rings e, G, G in proper operativerelation to each other during the operation of the shovel.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings, itwill be noted that the suspending means, the controlling bridle H, anddraft bridle M, M

are all connected to the shovel at the upper part thereof and betweenthe side walls of said shovel.

unobstructed by the means employed to connect the suspending andcontrolling bridles to the shovel, as a result of which the shovel maybe drawn through the soil and past rocks and boulders without strikingthem, the material operated upon ndt afiecting the connections betweenthe shovel and its controlling and operating means. Furthermore, thefront end of he shovel is open for This organization of devices leavestheside walls of the shovel free and-v the free discharge of thematerial whensaid shovel is swung to a dumping position. By

maintaining tension upon the haul rope, the.

shovel is kept under the control of the operator, thus precluding theshovel from swinging free and loosely during the operations ofelevating,transporting and dumping the be effectively and thoroughly dischargedtherefrom.

Another advantage of the invention is that the shovel may be hoistedmore directly from the operating boom or carriage of an elevatedcableway, for the reason that it is not necessary to haul the shovel toa point directly below the free end of the boom, or below the carriageof the cahleway before said shovel can be hoisted so as to suspend thesame.

Although I have shown and described the invention as embodied in anexcavating shovel, it is not desired to confine the invention to ashovel for excavating purposes, for the reason that the means forslidably connecting the shovel to a fall rope and for controlling theposition of the shovel by the tension of a haul'rope may be used inconmotion with different forms of load carriers, such as a hoistingbucket, a skip, a sling, etc.

It will be observed, further, that controlling bridle H may belengthened or shortened between rings G, G and the suspending ring d bymoving the shackle it into one of the other of the links composing thechain h. By decreasing the operative length of the bridle H the shovelwill not tilt to a dumping position so easily as when a bridle ofincreased length is employed, but the adjustable bridle is desirable inorder to, in a measure, regulate the dumping operation of the shovel.

In Fig. 5 of the drawing there is shown another form of draft rigging bywhich the side draft is secured. In lieu of plate J and the shackles K,K, I may use the links or rings Q, Q to connect the draft bridle L, L tothe draft shackle I. When a central draft is desired on the shovel,shackle I engages with both rings Q, Q as shown in full lines; anadjustment of shackle I into one link Q, allows the other link Q and legL of the bridle to drop back, the

eflect of which is to lengthen leg L of the bridle with reference to legL, thusbringing the draft to the right, as shown in dotted lines, butwhen shackle I is adjusted into link Q", leg L is lengthened thusshifting the draft over to the right of the shovel.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secore by Letters Patent is:

1. In an excavating device, the combination with a shovel, of asuspending mem ber' slidably connected thereto and precluded fromsliding forwardly of the center of gravity of the shovel, and a dragline on which tension is maintained for precluding the shovel fromdumping during the operation of hoisting it, said shovel being movablebodily into a dumping position by slackening tensionon the drag line.

2. In an excavating device, the combination with a shovel, of asuspending member, means for slidably connecting said suspending memberto the shovel, said connecting means operating to arrest the slidablemove ment of the suspending member at a point substantially rearward ofthe center of gravity of the shovel, a draft member, and meanscotiperating with the suspending member, the draft member and the shovelfor retaining the shovel in a nondumping position when tension ismaintained on the draft member.

3. In an excavating device, the combination with a shovel, of asuspending member having slidable connection with said shovel forpermitting the shovel to move lengthwise and to turn relative to saidsuspending member, a drag line, and a controlling member separate fromthe slidable connection of the suspending member with the shovel, saidcontrolling member being operable by the tension of the drag line topreclude the shovel from sliding relative to the suspending member andby the slack of the drag line to secure the sliding and turning movementof the shovel to a dumping position.

4. In a device of the class described, a shovel, a suspending memberslidably connected thereto, and a draft bridle also slidably connectedto said shovel.

5. In a device of the class described, a shovel, a suspending memberslidably connected thereto and a draft bridle also slidably connected tosaid shovel at two points, said' suspending member being slidableintermediate the points of connection of the draft bridle.

6. In a device of the class described, a shovel, a suspending memberslidably connected thereto, and a draftbridle also slidably connected tosaid shovel at either side thereof, the suspending member being slidableintermediate the points of connection of the draft bridle thereto.

shovel, a suspending member slidably conseparate tracks on nectedthereto, above the body of the shovel, and a draft bridle also slidablconnected to the shovel, above the body t ereof. 8. In a device of theclass described, a shovel, a suspending member slidably connected to theshovel rearwardly of the center of gravity, and a draft bail connectedslidably to the shovel forwardly of the slidable connection of thesuspendin member thereto. 9. In a device of the class described, ashovel, a suspending member slidably connected with the shovel at oneside of the center of gravity thereof, and a combined draft andcontrolling bridle cooperating with the suspending member and slidablyconnected to the shovel.

10. In a device of the class described, a shovel, a suspending memberslidably connected to the shovel, and a combined draft and controllingbridle cooperating with the suspending member and slidably connected tothe shovel forwardly of the slidable connection of the suspending memberthereto.

11. In a device of the class described, a shovel, a suspending device,means for slidingly connecting the suspending device to said shovel, acontrolling bridle, means for 'slidingly connecting the controllingbridle to the shovel, and a haul rope cotiperating with the shovel andwith the controlling bridle.

12. Ina device of the class described, a shovel, a suspending device,means for slidably connecting the suspending device to theshovel,whereby the suspending device is shiftable relative to the centerof gravity of the shovel, a hauling member, and a controlling memberconnecting said hauling member and the suspension device and having aslidable connection with the shovel.

13. In a device of the class;described, a shovel, a suspending devicehaving sliding connection with the shovel rearwardly of the center ofgravity thereof, a haul rope, and shovel controlling means slidablerelative to the shovel forwardly of the center of gravity thereof, saidshovel controlling means being operated by tension upon the haul rope toretain the shovel in a nondumping posltion. I

14;. In a device of the class described, a shovel, a suspending deviceslidably connected to the shovel rearwardly of the center of gravitythereof, a haul rope, and a controlling bridle cooperating with the haulrope, said controllin bridle having sliding connection with therespective sides of the shovel and forwardly of the center of gravitythereof.

15. In a device shovel, a fall rope, a haul rope, a suspending deviceslidably connected with the shovel rearwardly of the center of gravitythereof,

the shovel and at the respective sides thereof, and a controlling bri-'a side draft upon. the shovel.

of the class described, a-

17. In an excavating apparatus, th combination with a shovel, and a haulrope, of draft mechanism for connecting said haul rope with the shovel,said draft mechanism being shiftable for causing the haul rope to exerta side draft or a substantially central draft upon the shovel.

- 18. In an excavating apparatus, the combination with a shovel, and ahaul rope, of a flexible draft rigging for connecting the haul rope withthe shovel, said draft rigging embodying members shiftable at will forcausing the haul rope to exert a side draft or a substantially centraldraft upon the shovel, and, also, for varying the angle of inclinationat which the shovel is adapted to work in the soil.

19. In a device of the class described, a

shovel, a haul rope, a draft member to which the haul rope-is attached,.and a plurality of draft bridles connected to the shovel, each draftbridle having legs the forward ends of which are connected to the saiddraft member being shiftable relative to said draft bridles and to thehaul rope for securing a side draft upon the shovel.

20. In a device of the class described, a shovel, a plurality of draftbridles each provided with two legs attached to the respective sides ofsaid shovel, and a draft member connected to the legs of the draftbridles, said draft member being shiftable to a osition for exertingthrough the draft brldles 21. In an excavating apparatus, thecombination with a shovel, suspending means therefor, and a haul rope,of a plurality of draft bridles independent of the shovel suspendingmeans, and a draft member connecting said bridles to the haul rope, saiddraft memberbeing shiftable for causing the haul rope to exert throughthe draft bridles a side draft or a substantially central draft upon theshovel.

22. In a deviceof the class described, a shovel, a fall rope, a haulrope, suspending means for supporting the shovel rearwardly of thecenter of gravity thereof, said suspending means being slidablyconnected to the shovel, a draft bridle intermediate the haul rope andthe shovel, a second draft bridle, and acontrolling bridle, said seconddraft bridle and the controlling bridle being slidably connected to theshovel forwardly of the center of gravity thereof.

draft member, 1

23. In a device of the class described, a shovel, a suspending bridleslidably connected to the shovel rearwardly of the center of gravitythereof, and a controlling bridle intermediate the haul rope and thesuspending bridle, said controlling bridle having slidable engagementwith the shovel.

24. In a device of the class described, a

shovel, a suspending bridle slidably connected with the shovelrearwardly of the center of gravity thereof, a haul rope, a controllingbridle connected to the haul rope and to the suspending bridle, saidcontrolling bridle having slidable engagement with the shovel forwardlyof the center of gravity thereof, and means for varying the operativelength of the controlling bridle.

25. In a device of the class described, a shovel, a haul rope, a draftconnection to which the haul rope is attached, and a draft bridlecomposed of legs attached separately to the draft connection and to therespective sides of the shovel, said draft connection being shiftablerelatively to the legs of the draft bridle and to the haul rope wherebythe line of draft on the shovel may be positioned centrally or to eitherside of the shovel.

26. In a device of the classdescribed, the combination with a shovel,and a suspending member, of means for effecting a slidable connectionbetween the shovel and the suspending member, the path of said slidableconnection being lengthwise of the shovel, means for precluding saidconnection from sliding forwardly of the center of gravity of saidshovel, and'a drag line the tension of which precludes the shovel from.sliding relative to the suspending member.,

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES A. MORRIS.

Witnesses: H. I. BERNHARD,

J. F. MOTHERSHEAD.

